User Reviews

Hugh Walpole is better known in England than the U.S. His novels, like "Rogue Herries" were best sellers from 1910 to 1950. He was a keen literary figure, who rubbed at least one serious rival wrong. That rival, unfortunately, was a better novelist, William Somerset Maugham. If Americans recall Walpole at all it's for Maugham's mean portrait of him as the ambitious mediocrity Alroy Kear in "Cakes and Ale". But Maugham was sending up the English literary establishment in "Cakes and Ale", basing his central figure of "Edward Driffield" (the grand old man of English letters) on Thomas Hardy.

Walpole wrote "Mr. Perrin and Mr. Trail" in the 1930s, and it dealt with a subject not touched too frequently in British fiction: the public schools. The best known 19th Century public school tale was "Tom Brown's School Days", in which the experiment of Dr. Thomas Arnold in school reform was used for the basis of the novel. Oddly enough though, Thomas Hughes' novel is best remembered for the creation of the school bully Flashman (who George MacDonald Fraser turned into the "hero" of a series of good Victorian spoofs). Aside from that novel (and a few comments by Dickens and Thackeray in their autobiographical novels) there was silence. Walpole changed that and made a serious study of the dark world of public school rivalries between teachers, and the politics inside the schools.

Perrin (Marius Goring) is a boring mediocrity of a teacher. He is not upset about this, as there has been nothing to threaten his position at the school Then a new teacher, Trail (David Farrar) is hired. He is exciting and interesting and the boys like him. Perrin starts to fear for his job. He tells this to the headmaster Moy-Thompson (Raymond Huntley). Actually Perrin's position was never endangered, as he has been a source of information to Moy-Thompson of what the other teachers and the students are up to. But Moy-Thompson (the real villain in the story) takes advantage of this to squeeze Perrin even more. Perrin starts finding himself questioning why he is such a failure, but he finally brings himself together at the time of the story's crisis. I won't reveal this to the reader - see the film for that.

This film and "The Browning Version" (which is similar in it's way) are the dark side of public school teaching, as opposed to James Hilton's "Goodbye Mr. Chips". Yet Hilton is still read, while Walpole seems to have drifted into oblivion (the last time I heard of Walpole in any visual media is in the "Cheese shop" sketch of "Monty Python" when John Cleese mentions he got hungry for cheese while reading "Rogue Herries"). I suspect it is because "Chips" was lovable to his students, and became a school institution. But keep in mind that initially Mr. Chipping was a dry, pedantic bore. It was only when he marries that he softens, telling jokes to his students and taking an interest informing their characters. In short, Chipping was a luckier man than Perrin was, just as Hilton was a luckier novelist than Walpole.

Interesting study of Edwardian values and manners in England before the Beatles and sexual revolution of the 60's.

Unlike many films of the period, it is not overplayed, the characters are well acted and convincing.

This story is set at a bording school...the sort of place that used to be popular for middle class and up and coming families. The one here has a headmaster that simply accepts no discussion from his staff and he treats them like the pupils.

Into this fascist sort of environment arrives a new teacher, Mr. Traill. Traill is fresh out of the military but is a rather decent and laid back guy. This is a problem, as his superior, Mr. Perrin is a very rigid and small-minded man. Traill's manners and style rub him wrong...and Perrin takes an almost immediate dislike for him. Finishing up the term here is going to be very difficult and you assume sooner or later, something has to give as the tension is so obvious that the kids pick up on it. The ending to this tale is very shocking and a bit surprise. I also loved the scene just after this between Traill and the headmaster...it's very welcome.

Overall, an extremely well acted and enjoyable character study that is well worth your time.

David Farrar comes to teach at a public school, and finds himself at war with senior master Marius Goring. Goring considers the new man an affront because he complains when he uses both bath tubs each morning -- one hot soak and one cold plunge -- borrows his umbrella without asking, and steals the imagined affection of Greta Gynt and the real affection of the schoolboys. Farrar comes to realize that Goring is insane, an insanity driven by the snide and pointless railings of the headmaster, Raymond Huntley.

It's based on a novel by the prolific Hugh Walpole, and makes me think of the adage that the reason academic fights are so vicious is because the stakes are small. Why anyone should be at this school is beyond me. Anyone who would send their children to this hidebound, rotten institute is clear neglect. Still, Goring is perfect in in his thankless role; he made a career of playing bizarre creatures, and this was near his peak.

This is a great story that holds you to it while the story unravels. The film is quited dated now but in a way that makes it all the more interesting. The main part is that of Marius Goring as Mr. Perrin who plays a teacher who seems to be very much a loner and ill at ease socially to such an extent that his feeble unsuccessful attempts to woo Greta Gynt who is won over by new teacher David Traill (David Farrar) plus the bullying he takes from the Headmaster Raymond Huntley takes him over the edge. We do not initially take to Mr Perrin but as the film unfolds he comes over as very much a victim of his time, his shyness and the overall situation at the public school where he teaches and has taught for 21 years. Some of the scenes are very short and punchy but the film moves along to its final tragic conclusion. We instinctively know something is going to happen but it is very difficult to second guess the outcome. There is an interesting article on the internet from the Old Monrovians School from a pupil who went on an organised visit to Denham while this film was being made. He describes the sets and also having a talk with Edward Chapman and also a 'very disinterested David Farrar' who apparently posed for a photograph and went back to his dressing room and was not seen again that day. Not often we hear of someone who had been to Denham so it is good to get such an insight

Most school films are usually most interesting because of unavoidable intrigues and complications with the constant presence of a variety of beautiful wives at risk and mischievous but innocent children, that more often than not succeed in making things worse without intending it. This is certainly no exception. Mr Perrin has been 21 years with the school and is one day suddenly challenged by a new master who has everything he lacks: an easy way with children earning him immediate sympathy and popularity, success with women, good looks and admirable sportsmanship. Mr Perrin's nickname is 'Pompo', which unfortunately he deserves. Marius Goring makes an unforgettable character out of him, living alone with his mother, being awkward with women for his shyness and getting harassed by the awful headmaster, who drives the whole school crazy by nasty covert means. Conflicts are inevitable and start with petty quarrels about bath-tubs, umbrellas and things like that but are gradually exacerbated to a horrendous degree. Whatever will come out of this towering trivial storm? It's impossible to guess, but in the end you risk having your eyes staring and starting out of their sockets. David Farrar is the younger handsome teacher in a typical part of his, he is also drinking here like in most of his films, and although it's unnecessary of him to worsen the conflict you have to agree that he just can't help it. It's a tremendous film of a storm in a teacup, but it's amazing how such an idyll of a teacup can produce such a storm...

An unsparing portrait of school life reminiscent of the Swedish film 'Frenzy' with Marius Goring portraying Mr Chips as if he'd never mellowed. Although Hugh Walpole's novel had originally been published in 1911 it's plain this postwar version didn't require much updating.

This brought back memories, too many anecdotes for this forum! I searched OLD MOROVIANS BOYS SCHOOL unfortunately without success !

Things have changed since those distant post WW2 days. Briefly looking back, it is quite apparent t least to me that a good teacher needs more than the knowledge of her or his subject ? In short in addition to subject matter awareness and confidence ,, they need the talent to inspire , which hopefully would lead a pupil, boy or girl to find the subject being taught, worth paying attention to thereby finding more value doing so as opposed to widow gazing and dozing off into dreamy fantasy land ? That often was my reaction and objection to any study or learning. ! And I was not alone with that negative attitude which i have lived to regret.

So in the film we did see some examples of boys channeling their thoughts to anything but the subject at hand !

This was typical and prevalent within the British school system, also of the 1950s/60s. At this stage in a young girl or boys life, going to school and battling with complications such as parental confusion, puberty and for girls menstruation all lumped together in a morass of daily confusion , none of which received understanding or sympathy , often leading to early pregnancy or early loss of virginity in the irresponsible, frustrated boys. Ok , the era of this film was far too old fashioned to deal with any of this issues ,! And once again, as in some of my previous reviews i have not said enough about this extraordinarily well acted, directed and produced first class story taken from an author i had never previously encountered albeit W. S. Maugham is familiar to me . Strange man that he may have been, in his desire to get the known author of that time all riled up in an attempt to upset him thereby apportioning self aggrandisement ?

An interesting psychological conundrum ? I do highly recommend this film for having all the essential elements of pathos, suspense, a romantic episode, very muted humour and a truly stunning, wholly unexpected finale !

Surprisingly good, lingers in the mind. In some ways it is like a Hitchcock movie, not least for its focus on the dark side of authority but also for being a lean, well-crafted story. The film inhabits a tight, claustrophobic world but within that there is a full and satisfying spectrum of events which move comfortably from stuffiness to subtle comedy to psychological drama to action and ultimately to something quite moving. The characters and tension between them are more realistic, subtle and complex than are often found in movies of this era. Perrin's awkwardness in pursuit of love, for example, is performed as hilariously as it is heartbreaking. His repressed jealousy and affronted relationship with Mr Traill reminded me of David Brent and Neil Godwin in 'The Office', or Martin and Paul in 'Ever Decreasing Circles', darkly funny, very watchable. The film is well-paced, intelligent, even a little shocking at times, and just gets better as it goes along. Fast becoming one of my favourite films of the 1940s. A minor but rather powerful gem.

I found this to be a jaw dropping, rather disturbing movie. All about bullying, the headmaster bullying staff, the teacher bullying the children and the new teacher. Underneath all of this, the children treat it as the norm and are as happy as can be.

Terrific acting by all involved, this is, apart from the over-dramatic last ten minutes, an utterly believable movie.

The very last line is brilliantly delivered and says so much.

Terrific movie.